Water motor



March 24, 1925. 1,530,697

Y R. A. ROBERTSON WATER MOTOR Filed Dec. 15, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 attorney R. A. ROBERTSON WATER uo'roa March 24, 1925. 1.5 0. 91

Filed Dec. .15, 1924 2 sheets -sheet 2- Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

' UNITED STATES ROBERT AfRoBnnrson, or LQCKHABT, rrixes.

WATER MOTOR.

Application filed December 15, 1924.. Serial No. ras es.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be itknown that 1, ROBERT A. liosnn'rson, citizen of the'United States, residing at lioclthart, in the county of Caldwell and Sta e ofTeXas have invented a new and t l L 7 useful Water Motor, of which the following is av specification.

This invention relates to water motors of the type commonly known as current motors.

The primary object of the. inventionis to provide a motor of this character which may be elevated or lowered at the will of the operato-rto adapt the devicefor use under various conditions and to regulate the speed of the motor.

A further object of the. invention is to provide adevice of this character wherein the supporting shaft will be held against lateral movement at all times regardless of the water and wind pressure directed thereto.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described. nd claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of acurrent motor constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof, parts of the frame being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken on line 4- l of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmental detail view illustrating a modified form of elevating means.

Figure 6 is sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the

reference character 5' indicates the base or foundation on which the motor is supported, the same being shown as constructed preferably of concrete, but it is to be understood hat any suitable foundation may be employed as a support.

Extending from the foundation 5 are vertical supports 6 which are hraced and held in appear as the description hers.

supporting shaftlO on which the wheel in (heated at 11 is mountechthe wheel being d to the shaft to cause the shaft 10 to l'OL 1% when. thewhcel'is rotated. Atone end of the shaft 10 is a universal joint 12 which provides means for connectingthe driven shaft .13 to the shaft 10,the universal ioint allowing for vertical movement of the shaft 10 while the shaft isrotating.

Mounted on the base 5 are cylinders 1.4 that are provided with open upper ends, the cylinders accommodating the floats 15 which are preferably hollow providing air chainarms 16 that provided with hearing members 17 which connect the a "ms 16 to the shaft. 10,- in a manner to permit of rotary movement of the shaft 10 within the bearings 17.

' Gpenings 1"? the cylinders 14. and

are formed in the walls of.

disposed at points belowthe normal level of the water in which the motor operates. A valve member 18 is arranged adjacent to each opening 17 so that the openings of the cylinders may be closed at the will of the operator. In operation, the openings permit water to enter the cylinders 1 1 to cause the floats 15 to rise and fall as the water level in the stream in which the motor operates rises.

Communicating with the cylinders 14 through the pipes 18 is a feed pipe 19 which is designed to permit water to be forced into the cylinders 1 1 to cause the floats to rise in their cylinders, should it be desired to elevate the wheel 11 to facilitate repairing thereof. When water is to be forced through the pipe 19 and into the cylinders 14 the valve members 18 are operated to close the openings 17 and prevent the water forced into the cylinders from passing out through the openings. i

The wheel 11 includes lateral disks 20, which disksare connected by means of the curved blades 21 which are curved in such. a way as to catch the water, the blades form Secured to the floats 15 are vertical 7 be seen that when a device of this character is positioned in a stream, the water will impinge on the blades to rotate the shaft 10, so that power may be taken therefrom.

It will be obvious that shouldthe stream rise in the event of floods or the like, the wheel will be automatically elevated to the end that the wheel will be relieved of undue strain which would tend to damage the structure.

In the modified form of the invention as illustrated by Figure of the drawings, the wheel is indicated at 22 and is shown as secured to the shaft 23 which has its ends positioned to operate in the bearings 24 that move in suit-able cut out portions formed in the uprights 25. In this form of the invention, the bearing members 24 are provided with threaded openings to accommodate the screws 26 that have theirupper ends mounted in suitable openings at the upper ends of the uprights 25. Mounted at the upper end of the screws 26 are pinions 27 that engage pinions 28 of tl'ieshaft 29 which is provide'l with suitable means whereby the shaft 29 may be manually rotated. Thus it will be seen that due to this construction rotation of the shaft 29 will operate to raise or lower respect to the water surface.

I claim In a device of the character described, a base,uprights 011 the base, vertically movable bearing members mounted on the uprights, a shaft having its ends positioned within the bearing members, a wheel mounted on the shaft to rotate therewith, vertical cylinders supported on thebas'e, said cylinders having openings arranged at points in- 40 ter'mediate their ends, valve members for controlling the passage of fluid through the openings, a. pipe for admitting fluid to the lower ends of the cylinders, floats in the cylinders, arms mounted on the shaft and having connection with the floats for moving the shaft and Wheel supported thereby when Water is admitted to the cylinders.

In testimony'that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT A. ROBERTSON. l Vitnesses S. V. VAUGHAN,

M. S. CLARK. 

